


Chase After the Wind

by Kurisuta



Category: Fruits Basket
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Canon, Death curse, During Canon, F/M, Healing, Magic, Magic-Users, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Priestesses, Terminal Illnesses, curse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27454138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurisuta/pseuds/Kurisuta
Summary: Hatsuharu is in big trouble. Of all the girls to fall for, it HAD to be the Sohma Family Priestess—the person closest to Akito. Kuri loves him too, but can she find her way out of the Sohma cage into his arms before it's too late? The Ritual Approaches...
Relationships: Sohma Hatsuharu/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. Priestess

I wasn’t sure why I had been called to the Main House. Usually Akito left me alone. He knew he wouldn’t need me until the time for the ritual.

I entered the room quietly. I recognized Hatsuharu standing by Yuki’s bed.

“Is there anything you can do, Priestess?” Haru asked me.

He had always called me priestess, always been so respectful to me. He knew my position as did many of those in the Zodiac, that I alone would be the one to solidify the curse.

But still, Haru spoke to me in a gentle tone. He was kind to me. He had every right to be angry and hostile, but he was not.

“I can ease his pain for now.” I replied. “I can’t heal a chronic condition like this at my current power.”

Haru’s hand was suddenly on my shoulder. “Do the best you can, Priestess.”

The silver light flowed from my fingers, as it had done once for Hatori’s eye, once for Kisa...so many times for my family. After a beat, Yuki’s breathing eased.

Xxx

Haru knew he shouldn’t be so attached to the Priestess.

She was a member of the Main Family, but she was...forbidden to them.

It was similar in a way to Akito’s position. Though she had no authority over them, Kuri was like God’s mouthpiece. If Akito had something to say or that needed done, Kuri would carry it out.

Kuri was also easily the most beautiful woman Haru had ever seen. Her waistlength thick dark hair. Those starry blue eyes. Her sparkly cheeks—spreckles, she called them—where she had applied sparkly freckles every morning.

Though he watched her, Haru had never needed her for anything. He wondered why he longed for it so much.

How he wanted to get hurt just so he could feel her silver light; her spirit touching his.

The way Yuki spoke of a healing seemed so wonderful.

Haru let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, as the Priestess passed him, preparing to exit.

Without meaning to, he caught her arm.

A lifetime must have passed locked in her gaze.

Then she was gone again.

Like chasing after the wind.


	2. Just A Dream

“Kuri...I know what you are...are you priestess, or murderer?” Akito’s voice hissed. “Are you holy or defiled? Learn your place.”

I felt the strike across my legs, felt one snap. Oh, that’s right. This was a memory.

Once long ago, I had longed for freedom. Thought I could undo the curse with my meager power.

“Impossible!” Akito reminded me. “You are my voice! Bound to me by blood! I order and you do as I say! I AM YOUR KAMI!”

I felt my vision go black.

Kami. I almost laughed. A bond not even the zodiac could understand.

My tiny, ten year old hand holding Akito’s. The ribbon binding our two hands. That flash of light.

I felt pain when Akito hurt. I went to him when he called me. And when he did not. I healed his spirit, his heart, his body.

He was my world. And nothing else mattered.

Until today when those wise eyes filled my vision. Akito had called him stupid. A dumb ox. Akito was threatened by that soft wisdom, that gentle gift.

I breathed a sigh as the nightmare became a forbidden dream about Hatsuharu.

Xxx

Just a dream. Just an ordinary dream.

I woke up in my bed.

I was still so tightly bound, still a priestess having a forbidden desire for someone who was not her kami.

“Kami...” I held my hand in front of my face. Could he feel that I was slipping free of our bond? Would he end my life? Did my life have meaning without Akito?

I struggled to get out of my bed.

It had been such a good dream.

“Hatsuharu.” I breathed his name. Was it all in my head?

I went to the hearth to meditate and stared into the fire, but all I saw was his wise eyes. Eyes that looked upon me and saw me as a woman, and not just a priestess.

Did he really watch me heal Yuki? It all seemed so real.

The fire flickered. Sensing a presence I turned to the door and saw Hatsuharu.

“I wanted to see you again.”

I smiled. “Well then. Come in.”

Xxx

Hatsuharu knew he shouldn’t be here. Not with her. Not alone. She was the mouthpiece of God. Bound more tightly to Akito than anyone.

She had described Akito as her everything and her world. Like she was nothing without him.

That made Haru absurdly, impossibly, angry. He wanted her to feel like that about him! But he wanted to help her find herself too. He didn’t want her to be nothing without him. Haru wanted Kuri to be herself with him or without him.

Haru wanted to see her. He wanted to be near her.

Her skin was covered in marks. Runic tattoos on her arms and legs. It was all part of being a priestess.

He reached out and traced a tattoo on her shoulder.

Kuri sucked in a breath. “We can’t...”

“But we are.” Haru said. “Don’t tell me I can’t be with you. Don’t tell me I can’t see you, or be near you. I’ll just fight harder for you.”

Kuri blushed and let him touch her tattoos. Each time he touched her skin, she breathed a little gasp.

Finally she caught his hand and pulled him close. They were close enough to kiss, when she put a finger to his lips.

“Fight me.” Kuri said with a small smile.


	3. Match

I raised my fist and swung at Hatsuharu.

Surprised he blocked and hit my shoulder, knocking me back.

“I don’t like fighting a cute girl like you.” Haru smirked.

“Don’t flirt with me!” I swung again and he blocked. “That’s cheating!”

Haru leapt forward trying to get to me. “I told you I don’t want to fight! You’re too cute!”

I swung and he ducked and jumped behind me. I whirled and met his next blow.

“Stop talking nonsense!” I said. “Fight seriously!”

“Never.” Haru said seriously. “Not against you.”

He drove me back again, and my arm crossed his arm. He held firm.

I spun my arm and gripped his waist, grinning again. “So you’ll let me win?”

He pushed me back, and I defended again. Ah, always on the defense.

“You know you’re not winning.”

Haru got up with renewed vigor and lunged for me.

I lurched forward to attack, and the weakness struck and then...all went black.

Xxx

Haru caught Kuri in his arms and transformed. He put her on his back and carried her to Hatori.

Hatori shooed him out. He couldn’t forget the look of her blue eyes as they had faded to darkness. Death.

Haru sat there, head in his hands. He couldn’t lose her.

Hatori entered the room, and sat next to him. “Kuri. You really care about her don’t you?”

“I-I...” Haru’s fists clenched. “This is all my fault. I’m not worthy of her! I know that. But I have to be with her.”

“Sounds like she wanted to fight. She must have known.” Hatori looked towards his office. “She just wants to live. Like we all do.”

Haru sighed. She was right. “Then I’ll give her the best life I can.”


	4. Nightmare

“You have come here to tell me you love Hatsuharu?” Akito growled.

“I didn’t tell you.” I protested.

“Our bond told me.” Akito grabbed me. “How shall I make you suffer. Or maybe...I’ll make him suffer.”

“No.” I said softly.

“What was that?” Akito snarled. “YOU CAN’T SAY NO TO ME!”

“I just did.” I said darkly. “You won’t touch him. You won’t hurt him. Not ever!”

Akito looked furious as she realized that she could not even think a thought of violence against Hatsuharu.

“I CURSE YOU!”

And that’s when the pain struck my body, weakening it. The cancer eating away inside me. But I didn’t care.

I had done it. I had protected him.

“Haru...” My eyes opened.

Xxx

Haru rushed to her side. “Kuri.”

Kuri grasped his hands. “You’re alright. You’ll always be alright. No matter what happens to me.”

Haru growled, edging between black and white. “You don’t get to say that! I won’t let you die! This is the curse isn’t it? It’s killing you!”

Kuri tilted her head. “Kind of.”

“Hatori told me Akito cursed you.” Haru said darkly. “I’ll deal with this.”

Kuri grabbed him around the waist, a grip like a vise. “NO!It’s ok. Please! Haru become my kami. Become my kami and it all goes away! But if you fight Akito, I’ll...”

Haru controlled himself. “It would hurt you.” He knelt to face her. “I’ll become your kami. I’ll become anything you want if it saves you.”


	5. To A Woman...

I woke from my bed. I got up and went to the hearth, hoping to see the reason for my distress.

I screamed suddenly as i was grabbed by the hair and dragged onto the altar.

“You’ve sinned, priestess.” Akito snarled. “I always hated you.”

“H-Haru...” I whispered.

“He’s not going to save you.” Akito said. “I’ve erected a barrier. He can’t get through.”

Slice! Akito sliced my hair off, all the way to the scalp.

“We need a sacrifice.” Akito explained. “This will do, until the ritual, until I take all of you and spill your lifeblood on the altar.”

“NO!”

Xxx

Haru was angrier than he’d ever been.

This was blacker then black. This was darkness.

“What the hell are you doing to her?!” He gripped Akito fiercely. “You think this diminishes her beauty? You think this changes anything?!”

“It doesn’t.” Akito snarled. “She still dies at the end of the year. I’ll still kill her.”

“Fuck that!” Haru threw Akito out of the shrine. “I’m gonna be her kami! I’ll be a better god than you ever were!”

He broke through the anger and pulled Kuri in his arms. “You’re alright now. Your safe. You’re beautiful.”

He kissed her bald head and held her while she cried.


	6. Sleep

Haru had thought the darkness was gone.

He had thought Kuri was free.

But now she slept, endlessly.

He’d barely been able to feed her, keep her clean, and take care of her bodily needs. He’d called Hatori, but all the doctor had said was that nothing was wrong. There was no reason she should be sleeping.

And she was smiling.

“What has hold of you?” Haru asked.

It was one of the times when she was awake. Staring into the darkness, just smiling. Not seeing anything. Not seeing him at all.

“It’s such a beautiful dream.” Kuri said. “My husband and daughter. They are in a beautiful place and asking me to join them. I want to go; but something always calls me back, ...Haru.”

She used the name in hesitation, like she’d almost forgotten his name.

In horror, Haru grabbed her shoulders. “Kuri no! It’s not real. Maybe it was another life, I don’t know. But please, come back. Come back to me!”

He realized he was crying, but he didn’t care.

Kuri jolted as if electrified, and embraced him.

She was back.

Xxx

It was later, and I was sitting at dinner with Haru. I was cleaned up and wearing a hakama and everything.

“It was as if the afterlife was calling to me.” I admitted. “I have always had a very strong spiritual sense. But this was...it was different.”

“How was it different?” Haru asked, still sounding furious.

I shook my head. “Sometimes I can sense when something very bad is going to happen. Other times, the thing is too horrible, too terrifying for me to process.”

“Then we should prepare ourselves.” Haru said, and then fell silent.

“Haru?” I went out to the hearth and sat next to him. “Is something...”

“You were almost gone.” Haru said seriously. “Worse than dead. You almost lost your soul completely. Whatever you saw must have been...”

I squeezed his hand. “Whatever it is, we face it together.”


End file.
